T-Mobile's pre-paid pricing also leaked this week, and it doesn't look very competitive. (Source: Engadget)

Change is in the air for broadband cards

AT&T
this week aired a
trio of new USB broadband modems. The first is the USBConnect
Shockwave from Sierra Wireless offering HSPA+. HSPA+ is a
so-called "3.5G" technology, which offers faster uplink and
downlink speeds.

AT&T's Michael Woodward, vice president
of the company's Mobile Phone Portfolio, Mobility platform, and
Consumer Markets, comments, "With the planned deployment of
HSPA+ technology later this year, combined with the continued rollout
of expanded backhaul, AT&T will have increased our 3G download or
upload speeds multiple times in five years. We have
purposefully planned our path to LTE to create a wireless network
where the transition from 3G does not give customers wireless
whiplash."

LTE is 4G (fourth generation) wireless
technology, that promises much faster speeds that 3G, or even 3.5G
technologies.

Mr. Woodward's statement seems curious, given
how fast AT&T plans to try to jump to LTE versus more gradual
rollouts of WiMAX and LTE by Sprint and Verizon,
respectively. AT&T's rollout of HSPA+ later this year, will
be rapidly followed by an LTE
deployment in mid-2011.

AT&T's second announced device
-- AT&T USBConnect Adrenaline from LG -- is LTE capable.
Whereas the Shockwave stick is free with 2-year data contract, the
Adrenaline will cost you $49.99. Both prices are after
rebate.

AT&T also announced a new
contract-less USB broadband modem stick, the USBConnect 900 by
Huawei. The stick can be used with AT&T's DataConnect Pass
pre-paid service.

That service offers one day or 100 MB of
data (whichever comes first) for $10, one week or 300 MB for $30, and
1 month or 1 GB of data for $50.

Speaking of pre-paid
services, T-Mobile's upcoming pre-paid plan was leaked this
week when its training slides hit the internet. T-Mobile's rates
MB-wise are the same as AT&T's, but it's a bit more generous with
the time, giving users a whole week for the 100 MB pass (versus one
day with AT&T) and a whole month with the 300 MB pass (versus one
week with AT&T). The 1 GB pass remains at a month,
though.

One has to wonder who would pay for these pre-paid
options -- particularly the high-allowance end, though, given that
T-Mobile's contract plan is $39.99/month with a 5 GB cap.
AT&T offers a
200 MB plan for $35/month and a 5 GB plan for $60/month, so its
pre-paid options stack up slightly more favorably in terms of price,
due to its higher priced monthly plans.

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This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled

As a photojournalist, I would go for a pre-paid plan to upload pictures when I need the service. Getting a monthly contract is not worth it to me since there are so many free wi-fi spots. However, I sometimes cover events that are time and deadline sensitive and filing from the location would be a big help as this means I could spend more time at the event instead of driving to McDonald's.

Check out Virgin Mobile (Sprint prepaid) and Cricket Broadband cell modems. These both offer no contract prepaid with monthly 5GB caps. Cricket throttles when the 5GB limit is hit. Not sure about Virgin. Pricing beats the 1GB capped services mentioned in the article.